Controlling valve for car-heating systems



April 20, 1926.

1,581,293 E. A. RUSSELL El AL CONTROLLING VALVE FOR 01m 115mm; SYSTEIS Filed July 28, 1923 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 April 20, 1926. 1,581,293

E. A. RUSSELL ET AL CONTROLLING VALVE FOR CAR HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1a 5. F a

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Patented Apr. 20, 1926.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, AND FAUL B. PARKS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO VAPOR OAR HEATING COMPANY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

coN'rnoLLrNG vALvn non GAR-HEATING SYSTEMS.

Application filed July 28, 1923. Serial No. 654,452.

To all whom it may coaccrn:

Be it known that we, EDWARD A. Russian. and PAUL B. PARKS, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, and Oak Park, Illinois, respectively, have. invented certain new and useful Improve- 'ments in Controlling Valves for Gar-Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a car heating system and particularly to a steam heating system of the vapor type having a radiator and radiator valve of the general construction shown in the patent to E. A. Russell No. 1,440,701 granted January 2, 1923.

In the heating system shown in this patent circulation through the radiating coil is controlled by a six chambered valve device having a centrally arranged revoluble valve body and constructed so that in one position of the valve body the steam is admitted to the inlet endof the radiating coil and water of condensation withdrawnfrom the coil at the return end thereof and also at a point intermediate the ends of the coil, while in another position of the valve body the inlet and outlet ends of the coil are closed and steam is short circuited from the low pressure side of the vapor regulator directly to the thermostat chamber of said regulator. In order to provide for discharging the water of condensation received in the chamber to which the intermediate water outlet from the coil is connected, this chamber (in the patented valve) is in communication with the chamber connected'with the thermostat casing of the vapor regulator through a duct in the bottom of the valve casing arranged so as to be at all times water sealed against the passage therethrough of steam at the low pressures that the valve is designed to handle.

This arrangement may be objectionable v under some conditions, because of the danger of the water freezing in the duct and more particularly because of the likelihood of the duct becoming clogged by dirt or other foreign matter. I

Our present invention contemplates moditying the construction of the valve by connecting the chamber receiving water through the water outlet of the coil directly with the an port chamber through which water is discharged when the valve is in position to shut off inflow of steam to the radiator, these two chambers, in the improved valve, constituting, in fact, a single chamber, and by providing a float valve of improved construction which will allow the. escape of water from the drip port chamber while preventing outflow of steam. The addi- 'tional cost of the float valve is largely compensated by the simplification of the main valve structure resulting from this modie fication.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a vapor car heating system of the general type shown in the patent above referred to, in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 1s a d1agrammat1c view, in perspective, showing the train pipe, radiator, 'controlling valve and associated devices.

Fig. 2 is a view, in perspective, of the lower end of the float valve chamber.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan illustrating the construction of the radiator valve.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of the radiator valve illustrating the float valve in the drip outlet.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view at right angles to the plane of Fig. 4 through the float valve casing, the float valve in this and the preceding figure being shown in elevation, and ,7

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view on line 66 of Fig. 4 omitting the float valve.

Referring first to Fig. 1, A designates the steam train pipe, B the radiating coil located within the car, C the radiator controlling valve, D the mechanism (not shown in detail) for shifting the valve body of the radiator valve from one position to the other, and E the vapor regulator, or pressure reducer, which is of well known construction.

Referring to Figs. 3 aud t, valveC com- .prisescasing 1O having'a central circular space 11 in which is arranged a revoluble valve body 12 consisting of an upper disc 13, a lower disc 14 and vertical webs '15 and 16. The valve body isprovided with a stem 17 by means of which the valve is rotated through operation of-the mechanism indicated. generally by the letter D. The space within casing 10 around the valve body isjdiviaed by into chambers 2;,

0, (.Z and 6, each of which opens into the central space 11 in which the valve body is located.

A pipe 18 leads from train pipe A to the high pressure side of vapor regulator E and a pipe 19 from the low pressure side of the vapor regulator to chamber a. The inlet pipe 20 ot the radiator B leads from chamber b. A pipe 21 leads from a point intermediate the ends of the radiator coil to chamber 0. The return end 22 of the radiator is connected so as to discharge into chamber (Z. A discharge pipe 23 leads from chamber 0 to the thermostat casing 241 of vapor regulator. E;

It will be observed that the apparatus .operates like the ordinary vapor car heating system except that while the radiator is receiving steam water of condensation may be discharged therefrom not only at the return end of the coil but also at a point intermediate the inlet and return ends thereof. With the parts of the apparatus positioned as shown in the drawings steam from train pipe A passes through pipes 18 and 19 to chamber a, then through space 11 to chamber Z) and into the inlet pipe 20 of coil B. After traversing the first section 25 of the coil water of condensation is discharged through pipe 21 into valve chamber 0, the steam entering the second section 26 of the coil through pipe 27. The medium (either water, steam or a mixture of water and steam) at the return end of the second section of the coil is discharged through pipe 22 into valve chamber (Z and passes into chamber 6 and then through pipe 23 to the thermostat chamber 2 1 of the vapor regulator. The condition of the medium discharged to the thermostat chamber governs the operation of the pressure reducing valve of the regulator which is located between pipes 18 and 19.

When the valve body 12 is shifted from the full line position, as shown in Fig. 3, to the dotted line position, steam entering chamber a passes directly into chamber 0 and to the thermostat chamber of the vapor regulator. The radiator is thus short circuited and the steam therein when condensed flows through pipes 20, 21 and 22 into chambers b, 0 and (Z, respectively, which chambers are now in communication with each other. The water received by chamber 0 while the radiator is supplied with steam and the water which passes into the valve when steam is cut off from the radiator, outflows from chamber 0 through a discharge duct 28 in the bottom wall 29 of the valve casing, this duct leading to a drip pipe 30 screwed into a boss 31 on the underside of the valve casing. T/Vhen steam is shut off 'from the radiator there is no objection to having the water outlet from chamber 0 open to the atmosphere, but inasmuch as this chamber also provides for discharge of water of condensation while the system is under steam, it is necessary to provide some means for preventing the escape of steam from the valve at this point while permitting the outflow of water. This is accomplished by providing the drip pipe 30 with a float valve 32 which is arranged in a float chamber casing secured to the end of the drip pipe. The float valve consists of a hollow sheet metal structure, the middle portion of which is cylindrical while the upper and lower ends 33, 3a are conical. The float valve casing is composed of an upper casing section and a lower casing section 36 which latter may have an internally threaded boss 37 for an outlet pipe 88. The upper section of the casing is provided with an externally threaded boss 39 for attachment to drip pipe 30 by the union 10. The upper wall 41 of casing section 35 is formed on its under surface with radiating grooves 42 providing segmental pads 43 against which the upper end of the valve bears when the valve is raised. Lugs 14 are provided for guiding the upper end or" the valve. hen the valve is raised water may flow down into the valve chamber within the casing through the grooves 42.

The lower member 36 of the float valve casing is formed with a conical bottom 45 having a central opening 46 therein around which is formed a raised valve seat 47. Member 36 is provided with a guide flange 18 to guide the lower end of the valve. This flange is recessed, that is, diminished in height, at intervals, as indicated at- 49, to points below the cylindrical portion of the valve so as to allow water to flow into the space between the under surface of the valve and the conical bottom or the casing.

The valve 32 is normally seated by gravity and by any pressure of steam that there may be above it which, however, is slight in a vapor system of the type described, and when water is discharged from chamber 0 in sufficient quantity to float the valve 32, port 16 is opened to allow the discharge of water. Only a small amount of water can be trapped under the valve, due to the conical configuration of surface 45 (the slope of which is a trifle steeper than the slope of the under side of the valve) so that in case this water should freeze its expansion will raise the valve and not crush it.

By providing the drip pipe oi the radiator trap with a float valve as just ClOSCl'll'JCd, the general structure oi the radiator valve itself considerably simplified in comparison with the valve shown in the Russell patent above mentioned. The valve casing has one less chamber and the valve body one less vertical web. The water sealed duct in the bottom of the casin necessary in the pat- I n ented valve for connect ng the chamber into which the intermediate radiator Water outlet discharges with the part of the valve casing on the other side of the valve body, may be omitted. These changes reduce the cost of manufacture of the valve. The primary purpose of the improvement is, however, to provide with more certainty for the discharge of all water of condensation from the first section 25 of the radiating coil while the coil is under steam. If water of condensation has to be driven through the whole length of the coil the proper functioning of the heating system is impaired.

The trap itself is not claimed herein, being the subject matter of a copending application filed by us April 9, 1925, Serial No. 21,810, as a division hereof.

lVe claim:

1. In arailway car steam heating system, the combination of a radiator having an inlet and two outlets, one at the return end of the radiator and the other at a point intermediate the inlet and return ends thereof, a steam train pipe, a pressure reducing vapor regulator comprising a thermostat and thermostat chamber, a controlling valve comprising a valve body and a casing divided to form chambers connected severally with the radiator inlet, its two outlets, the train pipe and the thermostat chamber of the vapor regulator, a water duct leading from the chamber with which said intermediate radiator outlet is connected, and means associated with said water duct for allowing the discharge of water from the heating system while preventing the escape of steam therefrom.

2. In a railway car steam heating system, the combination of a supply pipe, a discharge pipe, a radiating coil having an in let for the steam and two outlets for water of condensation, one at the return end of the coil and the other at a point interi'nediatethe inlet and return ends thereof, and a controlling valve comprising a valve body and a valve casing, divided to form chambers connected'severally with said supply pipe, said discharge pipe, each of said radiator outlets and said radiator inlet, and to form a connecting chamber in which said valve body moves so as in one position to put the chamber connected with the radiator inlet in communication with the chamber connected with the supply pipe and in another position to close communication between the last mentioned chambers and put the radiator inlet chamber into communication with the radiator outlet chamber; the chamber connected with said intermediate radiator outlet being formed with a Water duct and means associated with said duct for allowing the discharge of water through said duct while preventing the escape therethrough of steam.

3. In a railway car steam heating system, the combination of a radiator having an inlet and two outlets, one at the return end of the radiator and the other at a point intermediate the inlet and return ends thereof, a steam supply pipe, a discharge pipe, a controlling valve comprising a valve body and a casing divided to form chambers connected severally with the radiator inlet, each of its two outlets, the supply pipe and the discharge pipe, a water duct leading from the chamber with which said intermediate outlet is connected, and means associated with said water duct for allowing discharge of water to said duct while preventing the escape therethrough of steam.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL. PAUL B. PARKS. 

